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Platte River Charter Academy

Public, Charter Grades PK, KG-8

18^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Better than 98% of Colorado elementary schools

Summary

Platte River Charter Academy is a PK–8 charter school in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, serving 475 students within the Douglas County School District No. Re 1. The school has earned a 5-star SchoolDigger rating in every reported year since at least 2015–2016, and its current statewide rank of #18 out of 943 Colorado schools places it in the 98th percentile—a steady climb from #74 a decade ago. Academically, Platte River posts exceptional proficiency rates: 80% in ELA and 79% in math, compared with 63.8% and 57.2% for the district, and 44.7% and 37.3% for the state. Its 5th-grade science proficiency jumped from 55.8% in 2023–2024 to 76.9% in 2025–2026, signaling recent gains in STEM instruction.

Among nearby Douglas County schools, Platte River stands apart. It ranks highest in the area, ahead of Redstone Elementary School (#23), Heritage Elementary School (#28), and Wildcat Mountain Elementary School (#63). It also leads all nearby schools in both ELA and math proficiency. Its math advantage is especially striking: Platte River posts 79% math proficiency, which is 18.5 percentage points ahead of Cougar Run Elementary School, located just 0.43 miles away. Platte River is also the only PK–8 school in the immediate area, letting families stay in one school through the middle school years.

Platte River serves a comparatively affluent enrollment, with only 4% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch—the lowest among nearby schools—and maintains a favorable 14.1:1 student–teacher ratio. The school delivers strong outcomes across subgroups, ranking #20 for female students and #17 for male students statewide. Two areas are worth monitoring: chronic absenteeism is 16.0%, higher than several nearby elementary schools, and 6th-grade proficiency dips to 66% in both ELA and math before rebounding in 7th and 8th grades. Overall, Platte River is a standout school in an already high-achieving district, with an upward trajectory that parents will want to watch.

475

Students ?

14.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,205

Per pupil spending ?

Free/discounted lunch ?

4085 Lark Sparrow St.
Highlands Ranch, CO 80126-5209

(303) 221-1070

District: Douglas County School District No. Re 1

Racial breakdown:

White:

67.6%

Asian:

12.8%

Two or more races:

10.1%

See top rated Colorado elementary schools

Compare Platte River Charter Academy to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 92nd percentile in 2016 → 98th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Colorado average (79% vs 40% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 2% of Colorado elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 6 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school79%

District avg60%

Colorado avg40%

Elementary school

18^th of 943

Colorado public elementary schools ?

Top 2%▲ up 6 pts since 2016

From top 8% (2016) to top 2% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Colorado Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

19^th of 469

Colorado public middle schools ?

Top 4%▼ down 1 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Colorado Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 58Elementary Schools in the Douglas County School District No. Re 1

6^th of 115Douglas County School District No. Re 1 among Colorado districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	96.4	18 of 943	98.1%	★★★★★
2025	92.3	49 of 950	94.8%	★★★★★
2024	92.7	49 of 943	94.8%	★★★★★
2023	92.4	54 of 933	94.2%	★★★★★
2022	90.9	60 of 921	93.5%	★★★★★
2021	88.5	70 of 710	90.1%	★★★★★
2019	90.6	65 of 965	93.3%	★★★★★
2018	91.3	58 of 917	93.7%	★★★★★
2017	89.9	70 of 929	92.5%	★★★★★
2016	89.2	74 of 914	91.9%	★★★★★
2015	87.9	87 of 938	90.7%	★★★★★
2014	92.2	37 of 962	96.2%	★★★★★
2013	92.8	32 of 954	96.6%	★★★★★
2012	92.4	27 of 935	97.1%	★★★★★
2011	91.3	41 of 935	95.6%	★★★★★
2010	92.6	30 of 925	96.8%	★★★★★
2009	90.6	40 of 872	95.4%	★★★★★
2008	91.9	31 of 849	96.3%	★★★★★
2007	93.1	20 of 852	97.7%	★★★★★
2006	87.9	59 of 829	92.9%	★★★★★
2005	87.2	69 of 823	91.6%	★★★★★
2004	87.7	62 of 808	92.3%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	94.0	20 of 692	97.1%	★★★★★
2025	88.8	51 of 694	92.7%	★★★★★
2024	82.0	98 of 684	85.7%	★★★★☆
2023	87.5	51 of 642	92.1%	★★★★★
2022	83.1	79 of 595	86.7%	★★★★☆
2021	81.1	68 of 351	80.6%	★★★★☆
2019	89.1	48 of 758	93.7%	★★★★★
2018	89.4	47 of 690	93.2%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	94.9	17 of 694	97.6%	★★★★★
2025	88.4	57 of 700	91.9%	★★★★★
2024	94.4	21 of 683	96.9%	★★★★★
2023	87.9	62 of 649	90.4%	★★★★★
2022	86.9	60 of 594	89.9%	★★★★★
2021	80.7	71 of 352	79.8%	★★★★☆
2019	83.8	92 of 764	88.0%	★★★★☆
2018	84.4	84 of 693	87.9%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	88.4	27 of 546	95.1%	★★★★★
2025	71.6	126 of 551	77.1%	★★★★☆
2024	72.7	116 of 539	78.5%	★★★★☆
2023	74.9	107 of 525	79.6%	★★★★☆
2022	70.5	121 of 454	73.3%	★★★★☆
2021	69.7	94 of 288	67.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	77.2	98 of 596	83.6%	★★★★☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	95.3	19 of 469	95.9%	★★★★★
2025	95.9	16 of 469	96.6%	★★★★★
2024	96.8	12 of 485	97.5%	★★★★★
2023	94.1	22 of 480	95.4%	★★★★★
2022	94.5	20 of 448	95.5%	★★★★★
2021	92.2	24 of 369	93.5%	★★★★★
2019	95.6	16 of 458	96.5%	★★★★★
2018	93.4	19 of 418	95.5%	★★★★★
2017	92.8	19 of 424	95.5%	★★★★★
2016	95.4	13 of 400	96.8%	★★★★★
2015	93.0	23 of 436	94.7%	★★★★★
2014	91.1	25 of 461	94.6%	★★★★★
2013	91.9	22 of 454	95.2%	★★★★★
2012	92.5	19 of 425	95.5%	★★★★★
2011	94.3	14 of 422	96.7%	★★★★★
2010	94.5	9 of 409	97.8%	★★★★★
2009	93.7	12 of 377	96.8%	★★★★★
2008	94.5	9 of 362	97.5%	★★★★★
2007	94.3	10 of 360	97.2%	★★★★★
2006	84.7	42 of 346	87.9%	★★★★☆
2005	85.3	34 of 340	90.0%	★★★★★
2004	79.5	55 of 336	83.6%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	90.4	22 of 365	94.0%	★★★★★
2025	92.2	21 of 347	93.9%	★★★★★
2024	94.6	12 of 350	96.6%	★★★★★
2023	94.2	11 of 363	97.0%	★★★★★
2022	92.4	17 of 326	94.8%	★★★★★
2021	94.2	12 of 254	95.3%	★★★★★
2019	94.7	12 of 352	96.6%	★★★★★
2018	91.9	19 of 315	94.0%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	94.4	17 of 369	95.4%	★★★★★
2025	94.5	17 of 352	95.2%	★★★★★
2024	95.8	13 of 357	96.4%	★★★★★
2023	87.2	36 of 356	89.9%	★★★★★
2022	90.1	22 of 328	93.3%	★★★★★
2021	79.0	40 of 249	83.9%	★★★★☆
2019	93.4	19 of 343	94.5%	★★★★★
2018	91.5	17 of 317	94.6%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Colorado percentile	Rating
2026	82.3	35 of 275	87.3%	★★★★☆
2025	85.2	29 of 275	89.5%	★★★★☆
2024	88.8	18 of 273	93.4%	★★★★★
2023	83.5	34 of 286	88.1%	★★★★☆
2022	83.7	34 of 265	87.2%	★★★★☆
2021	82.2	26 of 203	87.2%	★★★★☆
2019	85.7	26 of 283	90.8%	★★★★★

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Elementary school

Male (2026)98th percentile~ school

Female (2026)97th percentile~ school

White (2026)95th percentile-3 vs school

Middle school

Male (2026)95th percentile~ school

Female (2026)94th percentile~ school

White (2026)87th percentile-9 vs school

By subject vs Colorado (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts80%+35 vs state

Math79%+42 vs state

Science74%+38 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Unbelievably good school. Excellent administrators. Exceedingly committed and caring teachers. PRA handled COVID better than I ever could have imagined. Close Quote

Schools Near Platte River Charter Academy

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				CMAS English Language Arts (2026)							CMAS Math (2026)							CMAS Science (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CMAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 3rd Grade	CMAS Math 4th Grade	CMAS Math 5th Grade	CMAS Math 6th Grade	CMAS Math 7th Grade	CMAS Math 8th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	CMAS Science 8th Grade	Total
Platte River Charter Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	4085 Lark Sparrow St.	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	Yes	No	No	No	(303) 221-1070	475	34	14.1	4.0%	321 (67.6%)	6 (1.3%)	36 (7.6%)	61 (12.8%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (10.1%)	96.4	18^th of 943 public elementary schools	98.1%		92.3	49^th of 950 public elementary schools	94.8%	31	80.8	90.0	78.8	66.0	81.6	83.0	80.0	86.3	90.0	84.6	66.0	68.0	78.7	79.0	76.9	70.2	$10,205
Cougar Run Elementary School	Public	K-6	8780 Venneford Ranch Road	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6675	392	25	15.6	20.7%	269 (68.6%)	6 (1.5%)	71 (18.1%)	15 (3.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.7%)	88.3	89^th of 943 public elementary schools	90.6%		87.3	108^th of 950 public elementary schools	88.6%	19	66.7	68.6	88.1	75.6			74.1	64.7	68.6	50.0	56.1			60.5	59.5		$22,412
Sand Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	8898 South Maplewood Drive	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6600	322	24	13.5	27.3%	203 (63.0%)	6 (1.9%)	58 (18.0%)	24 (7.5%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (9.0%)	68.3	279^th of 943 public elementary schools	70.4%		77	211^th of 950 public elementary schools	77.8%	68	48.5	70.4	50.0	59.4			56.2	54.3	70.4	42.1	65.6			56.8	28.6		$21,285
Heritage Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3350 Summit View Parkway	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6725	377	26	14.4	10.1%	253 (67.1%)	3 (0.8%)	63 (16.7%)	28 (7.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.7%)	94.9	28^th of 943 public elementary schools	97.0%		95.9	19^th of 950 public elementary schools	98.0%	9	68.3	75.0	79.4	86.8			77.1	70.7	75.0	72.7	76.3			73.7	72.7		$19,000
Fox Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	6585 Collegiate Drive	Highlands Ranch	80130	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-7000	436	29	15.0	17.7%	311 (71.3%)	5 (1.1%)	64 (14.7%)	17 (3.9%)	2 (0.5%)	3 (0.7%)	34 (7.8%)	83.4	144^th of 943 public elementary schools	84.7%		79.5	181^st of 950 public elementary schools	80.9%	37	67.4	73.8	65.0	76.5			70.7	50.0	53.8	57.6	53.1			53.9	59.3		$18,200
Redstone Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	9970 Glenstone Circle	Highlands Ranch	80130	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-7300	398	28	14.4	9.5%	262 (65.8%)	4 (1.0%)	50 (12.6%)	52 (13.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.3%)	95.6	23^rd of 943 public elementary schools	97.6%		95.4	27^th of 950 public elementary schools	97.2%	4	68.7	78.5	86.7				77.6	76.8	74.2	76.7				75.9	75.0		$18,971
Arrowwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	10345 Arrowwood Drive	Highlands Ranch	80130	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6875	390	25	15.8	22.3%	248 (63.6%)	7 (1.8%)	80 (20.5%)	23 (5.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (7.9%)	76	209^th of 943 public elementary schools	77.8%		68.8	279^th of 950 public elementary schools	70.6%	70	58.5	63.2	71.8	62.2			63.8	56.1	76.3	56.4	40.0			56.4	30.8		$18,608
Summit View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	10200 South Piedmont Drive	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6800	350	24	14.6	10.0%	239 (68.3%)	5 (1.4%)	55 (15.7%)	20 (5.7%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (8.3%)	81.9	161^st of 943 public elementary schools	82.9%		91.3	60^th of 950 public elementary schools	93.7%	101	53.5	73.5	66.7	73.6			66.9	53.5	67.6	45.7	54.5			55.1	54.3		$19,867
Northridge Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	555 South Park Road	Highlands Ranch	80126	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-6525	560	37	15.3	15.4%	353 (63.0%)	8 (1.4%)	74 (13.2%)	78 (13.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	46 (8.2%)	90.5	65^th of 943 public elementary schools	93.1%		92.9	46^th of 950 public elementary schools	95.2%	19	56.5	82.4	86.4	72.6			75.3	67.2	62.4	69.8	50.0			62.4	76.6		$17,633
Eagle Ridge Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	7716 Timberline Road	Lone Tree	80124	Douglas County	Douglas County School District No. Re 1	No	No	No	No	(303) 387-7075	571	37	15.6	30.8%	280 (49.0%)	52 (9.1%)	130 (22.8%)	49 (8.6%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (10.0%)	72.2	239^th of 943 public elementary schools	74.7%		74.4	232^nd of 950 public elementary schools	75.6%	7	40.0	69.1	62.7	52.6			56.1	49.3	59.4	47.0	57.6			53.2	47.7		$19,947

Frequently Asked Questions about Platte River Charter Academy

What district is Platte River Charter Academy in?

Douglas County School District No. Re 1

Is Platte River Charter Academy a good school?

Yes! Platte River Charter Academy is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 18^th of 943 Colorado elementary schools.

How many students attend Platte River Charter Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 475 students attended Platte River Charter Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Platte River Charter Academy?

Students at Platte River Charter Academy are 68% White, 13% Asian, 10% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic, 1% African American.

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Latest Colorado data All new data »

2025–26 CMAS, PSAT10, PSAT9 & SAT test scoresAug 19, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataAug 27, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Colorado Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.